JAMIE McKEEVER'S first British title defence ended in ruins on Saturday night as an injured hand saw him fighting against the odds from as early as the first round.

After Coventry's valiant challenger Roy Rutherford had prised the Lonsdale belt from McKeever's waist after 12 gruelling rounds of all action boxing, ringside doctors confirmed the Birkenhead featherweight had sustained a double fracture in his left hand.

The fact that the damage was done in the opening round meant McKeever faced an uphill struggle for the remaining 11 as the strength of his favoured jab was instantly compromised.

Speaking from his home yesterday, he revealed: "I felt my hand go halfway through the first round and it was difficult for me after that.

"I feel I could have won but as soon as it went I knew I was in trouble.

"My main artillery is my jab and although I tried to put it to the back of mind, everytime I tried to punch with my left the pain was excruciating.

"The hand didn't seem too bad straight after the fight but today it has come up like a balloon and I can hardly move it."

Buoyed by a vocal Everton Park crowd, McKeever started the fight in typically eager fashion but, injury aside, was in trouble as early as the third.

With both fighters looking to take the initiative coming forward throughout the first two rounds, it was Rutherford's right hand that appeared to be the biggest threat. However, as McKeever, who sported a small cut over his right eye, covered up to evade the threat of the right over the top, a crippling left uppercut caught him by surprise and the defending champion was forced to his knees in agony ahead of the mandatory eight count.

"In fairness to Rutherford he fought a good fight and caught me with a great bodyshot in the third which I felt right on the solar plexus," said McKeever.

"Other than that though I wasn't really feeling his punches and had my hand not been damaged I know I could have won.

"I've had some good luck in the past but sometimes your luck runs out. I'll probably be out now for two or three months but, as always, I'll be back."

For Rutherford, who is employed by a demolition firm by day, work commitments had seen him involved in just one fight in the past 18 months, which raised question marks about his staying power as the fight went on. On the contrary however, a rigorous training regime including daily 10-mile runs saw the 29-year-old Midlands man in fine condition and, despite McKeever's enforced disability, we should take nothing away from the new British champion.

McKeever recovered well from his knockdown to finish the fourth strongly but the fifth saw the challenger in control once more. As he teed McKeever up with his left, a succession of big rights saw Rutherford, now 16-1-1, mixing it downstairs before both fighters took turns to switch it in the corner as the fight gathered pace.

With both men going toe-to-toe over the next two rounds a superb display of boxing had the Liverpool crowd in raptures. Although McKeever threw more shots it was Rutherford's precision that was registering the points. A final shots thrown count of 779 against 163 landed for McKeever saw an inferior ratio to Rutherford's 644-170.

Before the full extent of McKeever's painful disadvantage took its toll towards the end of the fight, the 23-year-old came back with his best round of the contest in the eighth. A much busier work rate saw McKeever, now 15-4-1, rock Rutherford with a big right shot early on ahead of some great exchanges when both men decided to stand and trade.

As Rutherford began to miss his shots there was hope that the title would remain on Merseyside but as the older man regained composure to reinforce his lead in the next round, a freak clash of heads in the 10th hindered McKeever further.

As blood poured down the left side of his face (pictured) McKeever seemed distracted, and with his left hand rendered virtually useless by this point the 117-112 result was a mere formality.

* While there was disappointment for Jamie McKeever, Everton Park fight fans were treated to an impressive night by the local contingent featuring on the British title fight undercard.

Stockbridge Village debutant Graham Delehidy got his professional career off to a flying start as he stopped fellow light-middleweight Joel Ani of London in the final round of a scheduled four.

City-based Yugoslavian Geard Ajetovic only had two days to prepare for his contest as a late stand-in for Howard Clarke but came through against Cardiff middleweight Jason Samuels 39-36 to take his pro tally to 2-0.

Liverpool-based heavyweight Paul Buttery needed just 1min 16secs to see off Londoner Collice Mutizwa, and Kensington cruiserweight Tony Moran celebrated his tenth professional victory as he outpointed Hull journeyman Tony Booth 60-56 in his first step up to six rounds.